title: Emissions generated by sugarcane burning promote genotoxicity in rural workers: a case study in Barretos, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the possible genotoxic effect of exposure to the smoke generated by biomass burning on workers involved in manual sugar cane harvesting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequency of micronuclei in exfoliated buccal cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined in sugarcane workers in the Barretos region of Brazil, during the harvest season and compared to a control population, comprised of administrative employees of Barretos Cancer Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of micronuclei was higher in the sugar cane workers. The mean frequency in blood lymphocytes (micronuclei/1000 cells) in the test group was 8.22 versus 1.27 in the control group. The same effect was observed when exfoliated buccal cells were considered (22.75 and 9.70 micronuclei/1000 cells for sugar cane workers and controls, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to emissions produced by the burning of sugar cane during harvesting induces genomic instability in workers, indicating the necessity of adopting more advanced techniques of harvesting sugar cane to preserve human health.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil. henriquecssilveira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Henrique César Santejo
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Carrijo
authors.forename: Ervald Henrique
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: Cristovam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scapulatempo-Neto
authors.forename: Adhemar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Longatto-Filho
authors.forename: Andre Lopes
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Rui Manuel Vieira
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Paulo Hilário Nascimento
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldiva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D001938:Brazil; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D031786:Saccharum; D012621:Seasons; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D012906:Smoke